Web Interface Tour
The OpenVDM web interface provides both a real-time operational view and a full administration panel for managing the data management system.
Main Dashboard
The main dashboard is the primary operational view, showing:
- System status (On / Off / Error)
- Current cruise and lowering identifiers
- Transfer status for every active collection system and cruise data transfer
- Task status for background tasks (MD5 summary, data dashboard, etc.)
- Recent messages from the system
From this page operators can start individual transfers, stop running jobs, and see recent transfer logs. A collection system transfer’s incorrectly named files (those matching its Exclude Filter) are listed in a highlighted panel, since they weren’t transferred.
Data Dashboard
The data dashboard shows what the plugins made of the current cruise’s files. Its Main page has a tile for each data type with its latest file; the other tabs are set in datadashboard.yaml and can show:
- Leaflet maps with tracklines, points (e.g. CTD and XBT cast positions) and GeoTIFF overlays
- Chart.js charts of sensor data against time, or as depth profiles, with zoom
- a
loweringview of one lowering’s data
The Data Quality tab lists each file’s quality tests and statistics.
Configuration Menu
The Configuration top-level menu provides access to all administrative panels:
| Panel | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Main | Set up, edit and finalize the cruise and lowering, and run the maintenance tasks |
| Collection System Transfers | Add, edit, enable/disable, and delete collection system transfers |
| Extra Directories | Add, edit, enable/disable, and delete subdirectories not associated with collection systems |
| Cruise Data Transfers | Add, edit, enable/disable, and delete cruise data transfers |
| Ship-to-Shore Transfers | Turn the ship-to-shore transfer on and off, and manage the rules for what it sends |
| System | The shipboard and shoreside data warehouses, the ship-to-shore bandwidth limit, the MD5 file size limit, OpenVDM’s own ship-to-shore rules, and links |
Cruise / Lowering Management
From Configuration → Main:
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Setup New Cruise | Create a new cruise and its directory structure |
| Finalize Current Cruise | Lock and finalize the current cruise package |
| Setup New Lowering | Create a new lowering within the current cruise |
| Finalize Current Lowering | Lock and finalize the current lowering |
System On / Off
The System Status toggle in the main dashboard can be set to Off to temporarily pause all scheduled transfers — useful during port calls or periods when instrument computers are offline. Individual transfers can also be disabled independently via their configuration panels.